A question about requests

from WinCustomize Forums

 

Good day, friends.  I have downloaded several skins from this website and have been generally quite impressed by the work done here.  Thank you for that!

My question is this:  I have a type of "look" that I'm looking for, and I have found it difficult to efficently search for skins that match.  Is there a better way for me to locate these skins?

Here's what I'm looking for:  I would like the background of my desktop to be integrated with the menus and options of the desktop itself.  Most of the skins on this website look very much like backgrounds with buttons / menus / docks etc. simply set on top of them.  I would like the background itself to be the interface-- you click on some part of the background, and the background itself opens / changes / morphs into the desired piece of interface.

Can anyone think of themes that fit into this mold?  It seems to me that the various programs available could be used to do this (especially DesktopX Objects), but it doesn't seem like many of the talented skinners here are going that route.  Or am I wrong and just looking in the wrong places?

Any thoughts or help is greatly appreciated.

Fribur

 

3,307 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Or am I wrong and just looking in the wrong places?
I think you are looking in the wrong places.  ;)

Take a look at the DesktopX Themes gallery.  There are some amazing desktops there.

A sampling:

 https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.aspx?skinid=3261&libid=31


https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.aspx?skinid=2926&libid=31


https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.aspx?skinid=3255&libid=31


https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.aspx?skinid=2506&libid=31


https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.aspx?skinid=3223&libid=31


And of course https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.aspx?skinid=3041&libid=31


The thing that prevents the proliferation of DX desktops (and ObjectBars) is that they are pre-configured and it takes the end-user more time than they want to spend to get it just right.

Hoep this helps.

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Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

That does help; thank you! Perhaps some feedback from me on what you posted would help further illuminate what I'm looking for.

The bars provided by the first one are neat, but still feel like they are placed on top of a wallpaper, instead of being integrated into the desktop design itself.

The second, "The Thinking Tree" was probably my favorite. Things about it that I liked:

1. It doesn't resemble anything "traditional" i.e. no bars at the bottom / top, no start menu in the lower left corner, etc.

2. The links appear to be a part of the background itself, giving it that look I'm looking for.

This is close to what I'm imagining. One thing that would make it even closer to what I'm looking for would be if clicking on a link to a menu would actually cause the background itself to morph / animate in some way to reveal the new menu.

I like that one!

The third looks nice too, but it isn't designed around the idea of some kind of art or graphic being manipulated to reveal menus / links. It's not really what I was looking for.

The fourth was beautiful! It probably took second place to the Thinking Tree for me. It definately has that integrated feel that I was speaking of; the author also took the time to make it fairly easy to configure, which is nice (but not necessary).

The fifth one also works hard to achieve something like I was describing; but it also isn't oriented around a piece of art or graphic art, and so not really what I was looking for.

The sixth one's graphics don't appeal to me.

The thing that prevents the proliferation of DX desktops (and ObjectBars) is that they are pre-configured and it takes the end-user more time than they want to spend to get it just right.


If I find something I like, this hopefully won't be a problem. I would be willing to spend whatever time is necessary to make it "just right."

Your post has been helpful-- thank you. I also want to point out that I do not mean to denigrate any of the author's hard work put into the themes above. All of them look like serious effort was put into them, and while some of them may not appeal to me, I'm sure they appeal to others. Great work!

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If I find something I like, this hopefully won't be a problem. I would be willing to spend whatever time is necessary to make it "just right."
You might find it easier to "roll your own" like many DX users do.  It's not hard to do it . . but it's very hard to do right.  You can load these up in DX Builder and figure out how they work and use what you want. (If you want to upload here to need to get permission from the artist/coder of course.)

Good luck, have fun, ask questions.